The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls
by MamaStreet
Summary: There's a different guardian in the Library. Can tea and sympathy win over Jacob Stone?
1. The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls 1

_The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls_ ~ Chapter 1

Margaret MacAlistair walked up to the strange door and paused to smooth the pleats in her flared skirt. The pearl buttons of the dress matched the single strand of pearls at her neck. It was an old fashioned look, but she knew often both children and adults felt more comfortable when things were a little old fashioned. Maggie knocked firmly two times. After a few moments she heard footsteps and the door opened slightly.

"You have the wrong address. We aren't expecting any deliveries today."

The door began to close and Maggie shouted through the crack, "I've an appointment at the library. This was the address on the card."

The door was suddenly flung open, and a white haired man in a suit and tie peered at her suspiciously. "What card?" he asked.

Maggie open her small clutch and pulled out what looked like a formal invitation. "It says to come at this time for an interview."

The man glared at the card, then at Maggie. "You'd better come in then. Although I can't think why we need another librarian."

Maggie followed the man down a long hallway to what seemed to be some kind of workroom. He stopped at a tall table and turned on her suddenly.

"Why do you think you can be a librarian?"

"I don't. The card said I was to interview as a guardian."

The man was rendered speechless for a moment, then burst to to broken and fragmented sentences that quite frankly didn't make much sense to Maggie.

"Another guardian…" he muttered as he paced. "Absurd…but I guess there are three extra now…Flynn doesn't really need one…but Baird will be furious…You don't look like a guardian…"

Maggie held out the card. "Perhaps you would like to look at it."

The man snatched it from her hand and looked intently at the gold script. His eyes widened at the words, _You are invited to interview for a prestigious position as a Guardian with the Metropolitan Library._

Maggie waited silently as he man pondered the card, then looked up at her, then back down at the card. He began to pace again, and Maggie shifted slightly. Her new heels were starting to pinch.

Just then a set of double doors flew open, and four rather disheveled looking people tumbled through.

The blond woman noticed Maggie first. "What's Jackie O. doing here?"

The man beside the blond looked her up and down. Maggie raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned. "Nah. That dress is Dior's post war New Look," he drawled. "Jackie's suits and pillbox hats were about fifteen years later."

The blond woman rolled her eyes. "Never mind the fashion commentary. Who is she and why is she here, Jenkins?"

The white haired man cleared his throat and held out the card. "She's been invited by the Library, Colonel Baird."

Colonel Baird read the card, her eyes growing wide. "She's a Guardian?!"

"Why do we need another Guardian?" asked a young Asian man with an Australian accent.

"Maybe the Library sent the invitation when time was unraveled and Colonel Baird kept dying," offered a slim red haired woman.

Maggie coughed slightly, and all eyes turned to her. "So," she began, "who does the interviews?"

Everyone looked over at the white haired man. He shrugged. "I guess I'll do the interview. My name is Jenkins. What are your credentials?"

Maggie held out a typed sheet of paper. "Here's my resume."

The man read over it carefully, his brow furrowed. "This doesn't make any sense," he said at last. "You worked at the Warehouse, which is certainly in your favor, but there's nothing here that would qualify you to be a Guardian."

"Well, you know how the Warehouse works, so I'm unlikely to be surprised by much. And I've run several large households before that, sir…some with children," she added dryly.

"Wait a minute," said the man who had commented on her dress. "Are you a nanny?"

"Nanny, cook, household manager. Whatever the job entails," answered Maggie.

"I don't need a nanny," protested the younger black-haired man.

"Jones, you of all people absolutely need a nanny," snapped the blond woman. Colonel Baird, Maggie reminded herself.

"Get off my back, Baird. I do just fine thank you. I am a Librarian," Jones snapped back.

"If the Library sent the invitation, then the Library must think we need her," stated the red head.

"Cassie, you don't have to try to be the peacemaker all the time." sighed the other man.

The red head clenched her jaw. "That wasn't what I was doing."

Maggie began to rub the pearls of her necklace lightly between her fingers. "I think," she said, raising her voice slightly, "that you are all tired and a little on edge. Maybe we should talk after you've cleaned up and rested a bit."

The four looked at her, then silently turned and went up the stairs to their rooms. Jenkins narrowed his eyes and walked over to Maggie.

"How long have you had those pearls?"

Maggie gave him a conspiratorial smile. "Mrs. Fredericks gave them to me when I went to work at the Warehouse. They aren't terribly powerful. They just encourage people to do what they know deep down is the right thing to do. All four of them were tired, hungry and dirty. It was ridiculous for them to stand here arguing with each other when they'll be able to deal with things better after they've rested and cleaned up."

"Maybe the Library knew what we needed after all," said Jenkins grudgingly. "So, we can skip over the part where I try to convince you that magic is real, since you're using it so effectively. Librarians work to recover and protect magical artifacts so they don't fall into the wrong hands. Typically Guardians are called to protect Librarians in the field, and as such have significant combat training or experience. You have none of that."

"Colonel Baird is their Guardian," Maggie stated, nodding. That made sense. She took charge and seemed to keep the others in line. "Are you a Librarian too?"

Jenkins shook his head. "I'm research and I oversee running things. You know, the Library and the Warehouse don't really get on. We have similar goals and overlapping jurisdictions, like some government agencies. Why did Mrs. Fredericks let you come?"

Maggie shrugged. "It was time for a changing of the guard. And when the invitation came, Mrs. Fredericks said if the Library was poaching Warehouse staff there must be something big going on. So you're research support for the Librarians," Maggie said thoughtfully. "Maybe they need Guardian support too."

Jenkins eyes widened at that. "Interesting idea. What have you seen that makes you think that?"

Maggie looked at him in disbelief. "Seriously? The young guy, Jones, is trying to prove himself and covers it up with a lot of bluster. They sometimes ignore the red head because they think she's too fragile. The other guy is just plain lonely, and Baird is wound so tight trying to reign them all in, they are only able to function by focusing on their job. That's why they fell apart when they came in. They aren't friends and they're barely a team. Taking care of people means more than just making sure they don't die."

Jenkins gestured to a chair and then sat also, leaning in towards her. "Ok, tell me what you think you can do."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Baird and the Librarians wandered back downstairs, looking a little sheepish.

Jenkins turned toward them. "Well, we have a second Guardian," he stated. "This is Margaret MacAlistair."

"You can call me Maggie," she added.

"Yes, Maggie is going to be Baird's counterpart here in the Library."

"What does that mean, exactly?" asked Baird.

"Well, I can't do your job out in the field, but I can help take care of people here," Maggie answered softly.

"Yes, as she put it to me earlier, taking care of people means more than making sure they don't die," Jenkins added.

"I'm your Nanny McPhee…Your Lucy Eyelesbarrow…Your Den Mother to Lost Boys. You can think of me as a friend, mom, even Father Confessor if that helps," Maggie added. I'll take care of running household things. Make this a home, not just a workplace."

"I think it's weird, but the Library does what it wants, I guess," smiled Jones. "I'm Ezekiel Jones, by the way. World Class Thief."

"Cassandra Cillian," said the red head sweetly, holding out her hand.

"Jacob Stone," drawled the other man with a nod and a wink.

"And I'm Colonel Eve Baird," stated the blond woman. She looked searchingly over Maggie and didn't smile.

"Ok," said Maggie, rubbing her hands together. "Now, where's the kitchen?"

Jenkins hesitated, and the others looked away. Jones gave a slight shudder.

"Is there a kitchen?"

"Oh, yes," Jenkins answered quickly. "It's a magical kitchen."

"Oh. Does it do all the cooking?"

"Well…" he drew out the word, as he searched for the right way to explain it. "The kitchen doesn't cook. That is, it doesn't cook by itself. It allows the cook to…cook," he finished feebly.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Allows? And is it safe to assume that the reason you're all acting hesitant is because the kitchen hasn't allowed anyone to cook?"

Jenkins nodded. "It's temperamental."

"When was the last time anyone cooked there?"

"Umm…We've tried a few people off and on, but the last time anyone was there for any length of time was the Dark Ages. Of course, the library's never chosen someone to be a guardian like this, so maybe that's a good sign?"

Maggie sighed, "Well, you'd better introduce us."

Jenkins gestured toward a door in the back, and Maggie followed him.

The others turned and looked at each other.

"Did she just ask to be introduced to a kitchen?" murmured Baird.

"Maybe it's like the helpful house," suggested Cassandra. "It's just had a really bad few centuries…"

"Oh, I've gotta see this!" said Ezekiel, as he took off after Maggie and Jenkins.

The others followed and crowded around as Jenkins pulled a large old fashioned key from his jacket and slipped it into the lock of a large wooden door. The metal scraped loudly as he turned the key. Then he lifted the rusty iron lever and started to push the door open.

"Wait," said Maggie sternly. She turned to the librarians. "You will not be helpful here. If this kitchen hasn't allowed anyone to work with it in centuries, don't you think overwhelming it with people out of simple curiosity is the wrong move? Let me see how we get along first, then perhaps you can come in later."

Jenkins unsuccessfully hid a smile at her words and tone of voice. Nanny indeed. Maggie had managed to take control of the situation and establish authority over the librarians and Colonel Baird, at least as far as the kitchen was concerned. The group meekly turned around and headed back to the workroom. Maggie stepped aside to allow Jenkins into the room first. He very slowly stepped over the threshold, clearly his throat hesitantly. "I…I would like to introduce you to Maggie MacAlistair. The library has asked her to come here as a Guardian. A new kind of Guardian. She would like to work with you…if that's acceptable."

Maggie softly stepped into the room behind him. The large room looked like it was part of an ancient castle. One large table sat in the middle of the room. A huge stone fireplace on one wall held a spit and a cauldron. Large iron cookware hung from beams in the ceiling. Dust and disuse permeated the space. Maggie kept her hands folded together and her head bowed, in a posture of respect. Her heart skipped a beat as she heard the room start to creak and groan. The pots and pans began to rattle.

"Oh boy," said Jenkins softly. "This is usually when the cookware starts flying around the room."

But after a moment everything settled down and then a whispery sound made Maggie look up. On the layer of dust that coated the large wooden table in the center of the room words were appearing. _Probationary._

Maggie smiled. "Thank you," she said softly. "Do you have a name?"

More words appeared in the dust. _I was called the Scullery Witch._

Maggie's eyes widened. "Well, that's not flattering. Is there any other name you would prefer I use?"

There was a pause, and the dust began moving again, this time a paragraph appeared. _My name is Seraphina. You are the first in a long while that has approached me with proper respect, and so you will be given a chance. You may choose your preferred environment._

Maggie's eyes were sparkling. "Thank you, Seraphina. I appreciate your tolerance. I think it will be thrilling and enlightening to work with you. As for the environment, I'm rather old fashioned, but not quite Medieval. Could we have something circa 1940? Cozy, but functional. I think we will need a six-burner stove and probably two ovens. I'm not particular on brand, although I think a gas stove is preferable to electric. And a dishwasher would not have been typical in 1940, but would be helpful. Maybe we could put a wood panel on the front and sort of hide it? And I'd love a red clock on the wall in the shape of a tea pot and a radio that plays Big Band music…"

Maggie suddenly realized she was beginning to ramble, and trailed off. Jenkins' shoulders were shaking and the the dishes were rattling softly. "Are you…are you two laughing at me?" Maggie asked defensively.

Jenkins straightened up and wiped his eyes. "Yes, but partly because we're so relieved that it seems like you're going to get along. You won't need a dishwasher. Seraphina will take care of all that. You will need to oversee supplies and the actual food preparation."

Just then the room began to shimmer. Maggie blinked several times as the light became blinding, and when she could look around again she gasped. The kitchen was now a cozy 1940s room, very much like her grandmother's had been. One wall held a white icebox, and a farmhouse sink, complete with draining board. The opposite wall had two ovens, side by side, with a large stove top across them. Maggie was pretty sure Seraphina had made that up, she'd never seen a range like that in her life, from any decade. There was a charming fireplace corner with two small armchairs drawn up to it and a tea trolley between them. A sideboard for holding dishes and setting out serving pieces stood off to the side of the fireplace. The walls were a soft yellow and the curtains were patterned in tiny cups and teapots. Maggie breathed out a sigh of utter delight, and the dishes rattled happily. A small chalkboard hung on the wall, and words began to appear… _I'm glad you are pleased with the room. I look forward to working with you._

"Thank you, Seraphina," said Maggie, smiling so wide her cheeks began to hurt. This was the most thrilling thing she'd ever seen. This kitchen would really compensate for having to mollycoddle the people who lived here.


	2. The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls 2

_The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls ~_ Chapter 2

If anyone had told Maggie a few years ago that magical things happened every day and she could be caught up in world of endless wonder, her heart would have leaped at the opportunity and her head would have told her to calm down and not be stupid. That balance of whimsy and pragmatism landed her job after job with very wealthy people who just wanted someone to handle things. If they couldn't be bothered dealing with a cook who needed time off or arranging accommodations and entertainment for stockholders who were in town or planning a circus birthday party for a three-year-old son they hardly saw, Maggie handled it. It was challenging enough to keep her from becoming bored, but it grated on her ideals of how human beings interacted with one another. So at each place of employment she also came in with the goal of making these households a team, if not a family. And with tea, sympathy and the gentle art of conversation she slowly made them see one another with new eyes.

It was this talent that landed her on Mrs. Fredericks' radar. She had some new employees that needed to become a team, and so Maggie was introduced to magic. The Warehouse didn't call it magic. Artie actually got a little grumbly when she referred to it as such, and started spouting off things about energy field manipulation. But to Maggie it was magic, and she loved it. Maggie had done her thing at the Warehouse for a few years, and help the team become a family, and was starting to think that maybe this was the place she would actually stay forever, when the Library's invitation came. Her first inclination was to ignore it, but Mrs. F. showed up and said that changes were coming for the Warehouse and if the Library was asking Maggie for help, they must be dealing with something out of the ordinary. When Maggie heard what the Library actually was and what it did she felt that familiar tug in her heart, and so she'd left the Warehouse in South Dakota and made her way to Portland.

* * *

"All right," sighed Maggie. She was sitting at the new kitchen table with a cup of tea and an already extensive list before her. "Now, I know you don't particularly like these people, but I'm sure you've been paying attention to them. Can you make some suggestions on food preferences or tell me if anyone has any food allergies?"

The chalk in the tray tapped thoughtfully, then a list began to appear. _No allergies. Colonel Baird and Mr. Stone prefer coffee, Ms. Cillian and Mr. Jenkins prefer tea. Mr. Jones isn't usually up for breakfast. Ms. Cillian doesn't like mushrooms, but adores ice cream. Colonel Baird doesn't have a sweet tooth, but really loves chips and queso. Mr. Jones is surprisingly easy going about food as long as he doesn't have to prepare or clean up. Mr. Stone likes French pastries and is the most particular._

"Can you explain 'most particular'?" asked Maggie.

 _I haven't noticed anything that he doesn't like, but he is opinionated regarding the quality and seasoning selections of his meals. He has tried more than once to cook here, but I found him too condescending and domineering._

Maggie chuckled at the commentary. "He probably didn't know there was such a lively personality overseeing the kitchen. And it might have been a tad frustrating to work here when you were still Medieval. He said it was an unprovoked attack."

 _It was self-defense and I never intended to do more than maim or seriously wound. Just prepare yourself for a critique._

Maggie nodded. "Thanks for the warning. I'm not great with French pastry. I'll have to practice."

No critique ever came, from any of them. In fact, neither Maggie nor the library she presumed, were surprised when all of them began to invent reasons to swing by the kitchen. They were looking for a snack or an extra cup of tea or because they had a question or a compliment about a meal. And Maggie was always available to ply them with cake or cookies or a slice of fresh baked bread and a few minutes of her time. She quickly learned the pulse of the building and the team members. She wasn't in any way trying to be therapist, just a constant in their high stress world.

They quickly settled into a routine and eventually Seraphina began to thaw towards the others. Her chalkboard was a little too free and easy with opinions and advice, according to Maggie, but she was very helpful and never flung pots and pans around anymore, so everyone considered that a win. Maggie knew deep down the kitchen was actually starting to like the people that gathered around her table every day, and her accurate and sometimes saucy observations helped tremendously in creating a sense of camaraderie.

* * *

Jake meandered down the hall toward the kitchen. It was well past dinner time, but he was planning to brush up on symbols in Neo-Classical architecture that may be involved in a purported haunting. He figured a cup of coffee and something sweet wouldn't hurt before he got started. As he approached the door he heard Maggie's light musical laughter and dishes rattling. That was something he couldn't quite figure out. Sometimes he could hear what was going on in the room quite well from the hallway and other times he would hear nothing and think the kitchen empty, only to open the door and hear music from the radio, Maggie talking to Seraphina and dishes clattering about. He hesitated at the closed door as he heard his name.

"Good grief, Jake's going to hate this. I must have a mental block about pastry. I keep missing that fine line between too gooey and tough."

Jake supposed the pause that followed was Seraphina's contribution on the chalkboard.

"Well, I'm glad you think I'm improving, Seraphina, but since you can't taste it, I don't see how your opinion can be valid. We'll have to get another bag of pastry flour and try again sometime."

"Yes, I realize it's our fifth bag of flour. No, I don't have any ulterior motive for doing this. I try to make each of their favorite things. You said he likes French pastries; I'm trying to learn to make French pastries."

"He probably would appreciate the effort if he knew, but I don't want him to know because people act weird when you try to do nice things for them. It becomes tit for tat, and defeats the purpose of me being here. I'm supposed to take care of them, not give them another person to worry about."

Jake stood there for another minute, trying to decide whether he should go in. He was a little dumbfounded at the idea that Maggie would put all that effort into learning to make something he liked. He smiled, remembering the frustration in her voice. He could just picture her, standing in her apron with flour streaked across her cheek, trying to get the dough to cooperate. That girl was something else. He shook his head, still smiling. Coffee could wait. He didn't want to give her something else to do right now.

* * *

It was Seraphina who first pointed out after a few months that Jacob Stone seemed to come around more often than the others did. Based on what Seraphina had told her about Jacob trying to come in and cook once, Maggie wondered if he was interested in trying to cook again, or maybe the kitchen was just hyper vigilant in watching him since they'd had a rocky start. But once aware, Maggie had to agree. She surreptitiously observed how Stone interacted with the others the rest of the day and at meals. He almost seemed to wear the mantle of both Librarian and Guardian. He was a protector, whether that involved the artifacts they searched out or the team members he worked with, and yet he didn't completely trust them. He held a portion of himself back, although that portion seemed to be growing smaller over time. Maggie finally decided that Stone had made her kitchen his safe space – a place where he wasn't required to be more than he chose to be at that moment. The kitchen was a place that didn't require anything from him, and that ultimately was Maggie's goal for all the Librarians, and Seraphina agreed (albeit grudgingly, and after endless cajoling by both Maggie and Jenkins.) The kitchen was to be a place of giving to others, not taking or expecting.

So the soft spoken man would occasionally stop by with suggestions for meals he found in books or help bring in groceries, and sometimes he would simply sit and read by the fire while Maggie kneaded bread or chopped vegetables and Seraphina played Glen Miller on the old Emerson tabletop radio. He rarely initiated a conversation, although occasionally he'd be so excited by his book that he would start to read it aloud. Maggie would comment on what he'd read or make an encouraging noise, and then he would taper off into silence again. Seraphina was the only one who noticed that Jacob would sometimes only pretend to read while he watched Maggie work, as she sang softly along with the music. But she decided to keep that information to herself…for now.

* * *

Jake sighed wearily and ran a hand through his hair. This extended trip had been exhausting. Two artifacts interfering with each other, fake antique decoys, and no one telling the truth about any of it. He couldn't decide if he was glad to have gone or not. He missed the Library and working with his team, and he missed Maggie and her kitchen. That last part conversely was what made him glad he was gone. He was of no clear mind regarding that woman, and in fact he was a little concerned by how much he liked her. She was the place he could just be. The rest of the team was great, but there was still a pressure of expectation with them. Eve needed him to be her second. Cassie needed him to be her ground wire. Ezekiel needed him to be the big brother. Flynn didn't know he needed him, but Jenkins sure did.

Stone by name and stone by nature; Jacob was their rock. And being the rock sometimes felt great. He was needed and appreciated. But sometimes being the rock was lonely. When everyone else was a little overwhelmed, a little malfunctioning, a little immature, a little too much, there was no room for Jacob to be a little anything. But then Maggie and her magical kitchen (which he'd mostly forgiven for attacking him) gave him sanctuary. Finally, a person that didn't need him to be anything or do anything for her. And then darned if he wasn't frustrated by a contrary desire that wanted her to need him.

Maggie was kind and smart and easy on the eyes. He watched her sometimes, working alone when she thought he was reading, or while she was serving the others at meals. She was generous with her time and energy. She made clever and insightful comments on cases the team discussed at dinner or parts of his books he shared. She knew how to lighten the mood with a joke or saucy comment, some of which she said was really Seraphina's contribution. And she sure was pretty. Jacob could be an unabashed flirt, but after meeting Maggie he didn't really want to try and flirt with her. He wanted her to see him for who he truly was, however hiding for so many years made him unsure of how to show himself.

He wished it wasn't so hard for him to trust people, but there it was. The brief time he thought he could trust the people in the library, Cassie had turned on them. And while he understood her reasons, he couldn't imagine making the same choice. He hadn't faced the possibility of physical death like she did, but he'd faced the death of his true self. He'd laid his hopes and dreams of becoming something better, something meaningful, on the altar of family responsibility. And even though he was closer to his true self here at the library, he still kept part locked away. He wasn't going to be slowly shredded a piece at a time trying to find someone with whom he could be vulnerable. And then Maggie appeared. But he was still afraid, so he'd settled on watching and waiting. And if he looked up from his reading once in a while to appreciate the way her chestnut curls fell at her shoulders or the way her eyes sparkled or the way her hourglass figure was soft in all the right places, well then Jacob just marked that down to soaking up the homey atmosphere of the kitchen. The problem was now that he'd been gone for a couple weeks his heart seemed to indicate he was interested in more than a quiet and comfortable place to read.

He tossed his duffle bag onto the bed and started packing clothes around the carefully wrapped artifacts. They say it's absence that makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe when he was back in the library and around Maggie more she wouldn't seem that fascinating.

* * *

Maggie blew a strand of hair out of her eyes as she mashed the potatoes.

"Aren't there instant potatoes you can buy?" asked Ezekiel as he grabbed a couple cookies out of the large apothecary jar on the sideboard.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Do you want the lecture right now on the benefits of eating whole food or the one on developing a good work ethic by taking time with things?"

"Nope. Just trying to wind you up," he answered with a crooked grin.

"Well watch it, or I'll put you to work," Maggie said, smiling. "How did the recovery of Benny Goodman's clarinet go?"

"Great! I had to break into this vault, which was pretty intense, but no match for Ezekiel Jones. But it was already gone, and someone had switched it out with the instruments at this gala, so the people there couldn't stop dancing. It was hilarious! And then Cassie figured out the tones we needed to mimic to disrupt the feed from the clarinet, but we had to get into the orchestra pit to do it, and Baird lost her earplugs, so she started dancing. I had to go in and steal the clarinet, while the guy was playing it! It's a good thing I'm awesome enough to do it. And then Cassie played the notes that turned it off, and we saved the day again."

"Bravo. What did the bad guys want with the clarinet?"

"They were going to rob all the people attending the gala while they were dancing. It's kind of a great idea. I totally could have pulled that off."

"Well, I'm glad you're on our side. Although I haven't danced in ages. That part would have been fun. Now scram, so I can get this dinner finished."

Ezekiel bounded out the room with a wave. Maggie shook her head, smiling, and went back to mashing the pile of fluffy white potatoes.

Eve poked her head in the door. "Hey Maggie. Stone just got back, so I wanted to let you know to set his place for dinner tonight."

"No problem. Was his trip successful?"

Eve rolled her eyes. "Somebody took a teacup from something or other dynasty that grants wishes and then had a dinner party at a table that forces you to obey whoever serves you the meal. It was total chaos until he realized the cup didn't match the other dinnerware or something like that. I'm sure he'll regale us with the whole story tonight."

Maggie nodded. "Ok. Dinner will be ready about 6:30."

"Great, thanks!" Eve called as she headed back down the hall.

So Jacob was back. Maggie was trying to ignore the little leap her heart gave. She set the potatoes on the stove to stay warm and took out the marinated steaks. Words appeared on Seraphina's chalkboard.

 _The valiant hero returns. What will be the greeting of his lady fair when next they meet?_

"The melodrama does not become you," grumbled Maggie.

 _Oh of course it does. I am nothing if not dramatic. Aren't you glad he's home?_

"You know I am. It's impossible to keep secrets from you."

 _You keep other people's secrets well enough. There's no need to keep all your own too. I am supremely trustworthy._

"Yes, but you're also a bit of an interfering busybody."

 _I'm just trying to help things along._

"There's nothing to help along. We are friends and we work together."

 _Whatever you say, honey. But we both know better._

The chalkboard went blank and the radio began playing _I'm in the Mood for Love_ by Frank Sinatra. Maggie gritted her teeth, and started beating the steaks with a meat tenderizer a tad harder than was necessary.


	3. The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls 3

_The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls ~_ Chapter 3

It was Cassie who traced back the effects and decided it was one of Cupid's arrows that had caused the problem. A maelstrom had appeared out of some pirate's coffee pot, knocking over shelves and soaking books and papers. A beaker with leftover potion broke and pooled on the floor. When the arrow fell off its shelf and landed in the puddle, it dissolved, and the resulting gas rose and filtered through the ventilation system. The potion allowed people a vision of their heart's truest desire. They were not completely certain what adding the arrow had done, although Jenkins theorized that since the potion worked with a desire that was already present and being shot with the arrow created desire, hopefully when combined it only magnified emotional response to the vision. Cassie was still trying to determine what chemical composition of the arrow caused the potion to heat enough to change the state of the potion from a liquid to a gas. It was a short term vision with no lasting effects, Jenkins said, and it certainly seemed to be, at least for those who had been alone when they were affected...

Jake, however, was not alone. He was helping Maggie cart in the fifty pound bags of flour that she went through on a regular basis. Jake had set down the last bag and turned to see if Maggie needed help with anything else when they both inhaled the potion. The kitchen disappeared and Jake saw a flash of another room. It looked like an auditorium, maybe? He seemed to be standing on a stage looking out over the crowd. He saw Maggie sitting on the front row applauding and smiling up at him. Then he was in a living room, curled up on a couch with a book in front of the fire. He saw it long enough to appreciate the craftsman beams on the ceiling and tile work at the fireplace. The third flash revealed a cave of some kind, Maggie was holding out a potsherd to him. At least he thought it was Maggie again. She looked a little fuzzy. His head began to hurt as the different rooms flashed alternately, changing and getting mixed up, all whirling past him. He tried to close his eyes and shake away the sights. The movement sent piercing pain through his temples, but when he opened his eyes he was back in the kitchen. The scenes still whirled around him, but less opaque. Jacob could now see through them. Maggie stood a few feet away staring straight ahead, her eyes wide with wonder and, was that fear?

"Maggie! Maggie!" he shouted, trying to snap her out of the vision. Maggie blinked, and as her eyes met his Jake felt heat flood his body. He could feel Maggie in his arms, her soft lips pressed against his. His hands tangled the curls at her neck as he held her tight. "Argghh!" he growled, clutching his head and blinking rapidly, trying to dispel the sensation.

Maggie's heart and head were pounding. Pain shot through her skull with each heartbeat. She had seen a darling craftsman bungalow; Jake was reading a book in front of the fire and she stood just behind him holding two mugs of coffee. Then she had been in an auditorium, looking up at Jake on stage, a string of paintings crossed the stage behind him, and he had a satisfied smile on his face. Then they were in a cave, but Jake didn't look quite right. He was out of focus and wearing some strange leather clothing. Maggie felt nauseated as the headache gripped her and the visions swirled. She vaguely heard someone calling her name and tried to focus on the sound. The images faded slightly and she looked over at Jake, standing a few feet away. Maggie gasped as the sensations overwhelmed her. She could feel the warmth of his body and the taste of his lips on hers. She took a shuddering breath and tried to pull away. She could see Jacob still standing on the other side of the counter, but his arms, his mouth felt so real.

Suddenly several huge windows appeared in the kitchen, open with sweet spring breezes flowing through them. An oversized ceiling fan appeared, stirring the air. As Jake and Maggie gulped in the fresh air, the visions faded away completely and the pounding in their heads slowly subsided.

"What. The. Hell. Was. That?" Jake asked deliberately. He stared down at the floor, not daring to look at Maggie again.

"I don't know," answered Maggie, wearily shaking her head. "Seraphina, I know what you think. Was this some kind of trick?"

 _No. I would never do something like that. This is magic, but not mine._

Jake turned on his heel and left the kitchen. Maggie darted after him down the hall and into the workroom.

"Hey guys!" said Ezekiel. "Did you have visions too? We were just sharing what we saw. I was in this amazing mansion surrounded by the fruits of my labors, and a choice lady," he said with a wink at Cassandra. "You were admiring how I came by the Hope Diamond. Best job of my career, I think."

"I didn't know you'd stolen the Hope Diamond," said Cassie, cocking her head. She sounded slightly impressed.

"Oh, I haven't. It's on my bucket list," Ezekiel answered smugly. "But it's one of my greatest desires, so that's probably why I saw myself already having stolen it."

Cassie nodded eagerly. "I saw myself in charge of this huge laboratory. We were studying Mathamagic! It was fully funded and I had ten scientists and twenty assistants working under me. We were on the verge of this amazing breakthrough." She giggled slightly and blushed at her own enthusiasm. "What about you, Jake? What did you see?"

"Oh, you know Jake," Maggie interrupted waving her hands dismissively. "He wants to be Indiana Jones, so he probably saw himself lecturing a room of eager art students or gallivanting off on a treasure hunt. Jenkins, I have a question," she hurried on. "It seems like everyone was supposed to see their heart's desire. What happens if you're not alone in the room? Can your desire be mixed up with someone else's?"

Jenkins looked at her curiously. "It's certainly possible," he said slowly. "Who…"

"I was in the kitchen," Maggie answered quickly. "I think Seraphina might have been affected by whatever happened."

Jenkins eyes widened slightly just as Eve entered the room. "Tempest in a teapot!" she announced. "Or really a maelstrom in a coffee pot. It's over in room 27A3, belonged to some pirate and made a huge mess. Something else in that room must have been damaged and caused the hallucinations."

"I'll check the inventory," muttered Jake. He glanced up at Maggie and then quickly looked away.

"Jenkins, will you come with me to talk to Seraphina about what happened?" Maggie asked quietly, tugging on his jacket sleeve. He nodded, and they both slipped out of the room.

Jake was grateful Maggie covered for him. He could only imagine what Jones would say if he knew what had happened. Jacob clenched his teeth and pounded the book in frustration. He was so…angry. Maggie had seen and felt his desire. No one knew Jacob Stone's deepest desire. He wasn't even sure he knew what they were. He put so much effort into hiding them he often felt like a mess of contradictions. Her seeing more than he wanted her to see made him vulnerable. So far she seemed trustworthy, but who could really tell? And what did he really want?

Maggie had lightly tossed off the Indiana Jones reference, but it was true. Lecturing and writing about things that stirred his passion…art and design and culture. Saving artifacts that made life meaningful for people groups throughout history, with the added bonus that they were magical and needed to be kept out of the wrong hands. Mystery, adventure and danger – it was every boy's childhood dream. Of course he desired that. He could still feel the sense of pride hearing people applaud his work. What he didn't understand was the vision of the living room. It could have been Maggie's desire, he supposed. It had the same homey ambiance that her kitchen did. But he hadn't seen her there. Just Jake, curled up on a couch reading a book. Nothing spectacular happening, but the feeling of peace and contentment he'd had in that vision almost took his breath away. It was home.

He blushed, suddenly remembering the feeling of Maggie in his arms. It was one thing to have to face how vulnerable he felt knowing she had gotten a tiny glimpse of his soul. His embarrassment was compounded now that she also knew how attracted he was to her.

* * *

"Seraphina, were you affected by whatever that was?" Maggie asked as she and Jenkins entered the kitchen.

 _Yes._

"Its purpose seems to have been revealing a person's greatest desire," Jenkins said hesitantly. "And we think your desires and Maggie's may have been mixed up somehow."

"Yes," added Maggie quickly. "Since you and I were in here together and the only ones not in a room by ourselves." she finished adamantly.

 _I understand. I did see my desire, but my desires are my past._

"What…what did you see?" Jenkins asked Maggie, looking a little embarrassed.

"I was in a living room with a fireplace, holding a cup of coffee. Then a lecture hall, then a cave, then the pictures get a little confused. And before it went away completely I could see that I was still in the kitchen. The images were there, but faded somehow so I could see through them. But the emotions were…overwhelming."

 _I'm afraid you may have seen the cave image from my past._

Maggie stared hard at the chalkboard. "Seraphina, were you once a real person?"

 _Yes. I am a sorceress, bound to this space long ago because of another's jealousy._

Maggie darted a glance at Jenkins. He was staring very hard at the ground.

"Well," she breathed out. "I knew Seraphina had some kind of crush on you, but I didn't realize you two had been lovers."

 _We were married. Give me some credit._

"Seraphina, did you see and feel exactly what w…I experienced?" Maggie inquired.

 _I don't believe so, not exactly. I have no memories of a living room or a lecture hall. But I can't tell you by the end which part was my desire and which was your own._

Jenkins looked at Maggie sheepishly. "I'm sorry this caused problems for you. A thousand years together but always apart. My own vision was quite…forceful. Having Seraphina's visions compounding your own desire must have been a lot to take in."

Maggie smiled at him kindly. "Don't worry. I promise I didn't see you in any of them."

 _I did._

Jenkins gave a nervous cough. "Well, I'd better see what progress the others have made finding out which artifact caused this." He turned abruptly and practically fled the room.

 _I would be laughing at him had I the ability._

"I'm so sorry for all that you lost, Seraphina." whispered Maggie. "And I'm sorry that whatever happened caused you to relive your memories so vividly."

 _Don't worry about me. I've had plenty of time to learn to handle it. And I'm not convinced all that emotion was simply due to my memories. You said you didn't see Galeaus in your vision. Who did you see?_

"Jacob."

 _Based on his reactions I think he saw you too. If it makes you feel better, you may tell him that most of what he experienced was due to my presence. However, I would urge you two to discuss the possibility that a latent desire is there._

"Nonsense. I'm sure we saw each other only because we were in the same room. It was bound to be confusing. My desire has something to do with a living room. It was a very sweet little bungalow too. Maybe deep down I want a home of my own. And I'm sure the lecture hall was Jake's desire. He really does just want to be Indiana Jones. And the emotions at the end were just…like being in a splash zone…from what you were remembering."

 _That's a very tidy explanation. Be sure you tell Mr. Stone soon so he can commence with bottling up and forgetting the experience._

"I never knew chalk could be so sarcastic," Maggie bit back.

Seraphina remained silent, so Maggie left the kitchen trying to decide how to phrase everything.

* * *

Jake was alone in the workroom, looking over the inventory for room 27A3.

He looked up as Maggie came in the room, and then immediately looked down again.

"That room held a potion of some kind that dealt with a person's desires," he said softly, his accent very pronounced. "It's probably the artifact behind this."

"Umm Jenkins thinks that being around Seraphina confused and amplified what we saw. I didn't tell him you were there," Maggie added quickly. "He thinks I was alone in the kitchen."

Jacob nodded, still staring down at the book. "You said I wanted to be Indiana Jones. So you think the lecture hall was my vision, that I want the life of intellectual accomplishment and recognition?"

Maggie shrugged. "It makes sense. Your lecture hall, my living room. I guess my greatest desire is a home of my own. I've been taking care of other people in their homes for a long time. And we were in each other's visions because the spell intertwined us somehow. Everything after that may have been influenced by Seraphina's memories. She and Jenkins…Galahad…I still have a hard time believing he was Arthur's virtuous knight…they were married. She was remembering being with him," Maggie finished firmly.

"Well, that's one explanation," Jacob looked up at her, an unreadable expression in his eyes. She was giving him a way out, not needing him to try to justify his feelings or behavior. Although was it his behavior if it didn't actually happen? Still, it felt like it had truly happened, and so he did feel responsible for his behavior. It was not gentlemanly, and that was something his mama had drilled into him.

An awkward silence fell. "So anyway…I just wanted to make sure you knew, so you didn't feel guilty. It was probably you just being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Jacob looked hard into her eyes. He saw nothing but kindness. She knew what it cost him to be seen. And she was trying to give him an opportunity to protect that.

"I didn't see you in the living room," he said suddenly.

"I was standing behind you. I was…bringing you a cup of coffee."

Jacob sighed. "So even in your vision of your own home you were taking care of someone else, and not just enjoying it yourself?"

Maggie was saved from answering by Eve coming into the room.

"Stone, I need you to help me and Jones clean up," sighed Eve. "Jenkins and Cassie have scraped some samples off the floor and are going to work from there. Once we get things cleaned up we can see what's been damaged or is missing."

"I'd better get busy," smiled Maggie. "This whole vision thing put me way behind on dinner." She turned and left the room before either of them could say anything else.

"Stone, you're on mop duty," said Baird, clapping him on the shoulder.

Jake rolled his eyes and followed her out of the room.


	4. The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls 4

_The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls ~_ Chapter 4

The next few days were very strained. Jake avoided the kitchen except during meals when the others could act as a buffer between Maggie and him. Maggie had known he wasn't satisfied with the explanation of the visions, but didn't think he was ready to talk through it all. And honestly, she wasn't ready either. She admitted he was attractive, inside and out, and maybe over time they could have broached the subject. But this had forced the issue, and she wasn't prepared to risk her heart or her job over a convoluted incident involving a potion and a thousand-year-old sorceress.

Dinner Friday night was the worst. Jacob was grunting or snapping responses when anyone ventured a conversation. Maggie, who typically would have smoothed things over or carried the conversation in spite of him, was very quiet. Even Seraphina didn't try to contribute anything.

As they filed back into the workroom after the meal, Jake grabbed his jacket and yelled back down the hall, "Baird! I need to get drunk. We're going out."

Eve sighed and looked at Ezekiel and Cassie. "You guys mind coming along? I may need help getting him back home."

Ezekiel shrugged. "I'm up for going, but anything I say will probably just antagonize him."

"Oooo, maybe he could start a bar fight and work out whatever's going on," said Cassie. "He's sure been in a mood the last few days."

The four landed at a local pub a couple miles away. Rather than his usual beer, Jake ordered a round of tequila shots, and then two more in quick succession. Then he switched to double bourbons, but he seemed more agitated after each drink. Eve groaned internally at the thought that Stone might be a belligerent drunk and not a jovial one. Jake then spotted a group of young women at the counter and sauntered over to them.

Eve gritted her teeth. She'd never been in a bar with Stone long enough for him to get drunk before they had to fight their way out, and was tense trying to anticipate what she might have to deal with. Cassie and Ezekiel were whispering together at the other end of the table, and Eve narrowed her eyes as she happened to catch the way his hand brushed gently against hers. She hadn't really seen that one coming. She turned back toward Jake and groaned audibly this time. He was flirting shamelessly with the girls and one was looking a little too eager to take him up on whatever he was offering. Baird didn't want to deal with orchestrating a sleepover and she sure wasn't letting a drunk librarian out of her sight. Ezekiel heard her and followed her eyes over to the bar. He sighed and murmured, "I'm probably going to get punched for this," before getting up from his seat and heading over to Jake.

Ezekiel clapped Jake on the shoulder, "Hey Mate, I think we need to be heading back."

"Nah, man, things are just getting good. Ladies, this is my pal, Zeke. Jones, these ladies are looking for a good time. You interested?"

Ezekiel looked Jake dead in the eye, "I know things have been difficult since Monday, but this is a bad idea."

Jake jerked away from him. "You don't know anything about what happened Monday," he snarled.

"I know whatever happened is bothering you. And more than that, I know you care about Maggie and you will really regret doing something stupid tonight."

Jake took a step back, then nailed a right cross at Ezekiel's jaw.

Baird leaped out of her seat, crossed the room in record time, and grabbed Jake's arm. He tried to shake her off, and she glared at him before hauling back and punching him. He stumbled back from the blow and finally seemed to realize what was going on.

"Damn, Jones, I'm sorry," he muttered.

Cassie was helping Ezekiel to his feet, and he rubbed his jaw hesitantly. "You owe my big time for this, mate."

"Ok, I'm cutting you off," said Eve. "Time to go." She kept her arm around Stone as she led him out of the building.

It was a silent group that made its way back to the library.

Jacob was furious at losing control like that. He'd always prided himself on staying calm and doing the right thing. Trying to drink away the pain of not knowing what he wanted or face the possibility that all the attraction was one sided, that was not who Jacob Stone was. Jacob Stone faced things head on, even when it slowly destroyed him. Now he was getting drunk, considering sleeping with complete strangers, and punching a guy who he was starting to consider a friend. He tossed and turned all night, almost willing the hangover to begin, hoping the pain would dull the whirl of his thoughts and the ache in his heart.

* * *

By morning Jake had come to a decision. This past week had been awful, and he wasn't willing to put up with it any longer simply on account of his pride. He was going to go into that kitchen and simply tell Maggie that he didn't think the hallucination had been entirely caused by Seraphina. He was attracted to her, he liked her and liked being around her. In his previous life in Oklahoma, Jake was a good judge of a woman's receptiveness. But he wasn't sure of anything about Maggie, so he would just ask her outright if she was attracted to him. Maybe he could take her somewhere away from the Library and Seraphina and magic, take her on a proper date. Jake blew out a shaky breath. He was getting himself all worked up and he hadn't even left the room yet. He studied himself in the mirror. He wasn't vain, but he also wasn't stupid. Hair and clothes seemed ok. He knew his eyes and smile were good features. The black eye Baird had given him last night wasn't doing him any favors. It might keep him humble though. "I think you've got a pretty good chance," he murmured to himself. Time to go.

It wasn't yet time for the others to come in for breakfast, so Jake figured he had a good ten or fifteen minutes to talk to her alone. He pushed open the kitchen door and looked around the room. It was empty.

"Seraphina, where's Maggie?" Jacob asked. It still felt strange to address the kitchen directly.

He waited for the words to appear on the chalkboard, but an image began forming instead. Jake frowned, trying to decipher the soft lines and rubbed out edges. His eyes bugged out when he finally realized it was a drawing of Maggie, but animated. She was at an angle, partially turned away from the viewer. She was pulling her hair back away from bare neck and shoulders, pinning the curls to the top of her head, the picture stopping just above where her soft curves would begin. Clouds of chalk dust rose around her, steam from the shower she was apparently stepping into. Jacob closed his eyes. "Well I won't be unseeing that anytime soon." He continued sternly, "Seraphina, please use your words. What are you trying to accomplish with that stunt?"

The image vanished and words appeared. _Just testing a theory. You obviously like what you see. Why aren't you doing anything about it? You can't really believe that the emotions you both experienced were entirely my doing?_

Jacob gritted his teeth. "Well I'm sure you won't be offended when I say you are an interfering old witch. I never thought what happened that day was all you. I like Maggie very much, which is why I am here. I wanted to tell her so, and put this awkwardness behind us. You know she would be mortified and livid about what you've just done."

 _Are you planning to tell her?_

Jake rolled his eyes. "No," he ground out. "That wouldn't help anything. Just please tell her I stopped by to speak with her, and there's no need to go into what I just told you or for you to try and manipulate her."

 _I would never manipulate her. She's my friend._

"But you're willing to manipulate me on her behalf?"

 _Sweetie, you have no idea what I'm capable of. You should marvel at my restraint._

"Noted. I guess I will be seeing you later."

* * *

Maggie jumped out of the shower and rushed to get dressed. She didn't know what was wrong with her this morning, she almost never slept in. Thankfully there were muffins ready to go, and it would be simple to throw together scrambled eggs and bacon. As she ran into the kitchen, tying an apron around her, words began to fly across the chalkboard.

 _Jake came by to talk to you. He said he wanted to put the awkwardness behind you both. Something happened last night. Colonel Baird came in late to grab some ice packs. And Stone has a lovely shiner on his right eye._

Before Maggie could answer, Cassandra and Ezekiel entered the room quietly. Maggie gasped at the sight. Ezekiel's jaw was swollen and bruised, but his eyes twinkled as they met Maggie's. He allowed Cassandra to help him sit at the table, clearly milking her sympathy for all it was worth.

"What happened to you?" Maggie asked skeptically. She knew they'd gone out to a bar last night, but she never would have imagined Jones joining in on one of Jakes bar brawls that he talked about.

"Bar fight," said Cassie brightly.

"I was protecting Jake from himself," Ezekiel slurred, the jaw clearly not cooperating with speech.

"Jake hit you?!" Maggie was taken aback that calm, unflappable Jake would find it necessary to deal forcibly with Jones.

"Well, he was drunk," added Cassie. "I'm sure he wouldn't have otherwise. Alcohol reduces a person's ability to make rational decisions, and according to the amount of alcohol he ingested in proportion to his body weight…" Cassie drifted off, statistics and equations floating in front of her eyes. Maggie could just catch a few phrases, "genetic predisposition…percentage per ounce…rate of metabolism. Ezekiel put his arm around her shoulder and Cassie broke off abruptly. "I smell cinnamon. Is breakfast ready?"

Maggie stepped over to the counter. "I'm running late this morning, but there's coffee or tea and muffins while you wait for bacon and eggs. Ezekiel, I'll make you a protein shake you can have with a straw. I think that will be easier than trying to chew."

"Thanks," he said. "At least now I can channel Humphrey Bogart for a bit."

Maggie smiled and shook her head. Just then, Jenkins, Eve and Jake filed into the room. There were a few minutes of chaos as everyone tried to explain the injuries. Jake kept apologizing to Ezekiel. Jenkins put in that he'd probably deserved it. Eve seemed a little confused as to why Jake reacted so strongly to whatever Ezekiel had said, and neither Jake nor Ezekiel chose to enlighten them. By the time the issue was thoroughly discussed and everyone had seated themselves with coffee and muffins, the rest of the food was ready. Maggie served the others, then took her seat. Jake handed her the plate of muffins and smiled shyly as his hand brushed hers when she took it.

When the meal was over, Jake started clearing the table as the others wandered off. He and Maggie worked in silence for a moment until Seraphina's radio began playing _How Long Has This Been Going on?_ Maggie rolled her eyes and Jake blushed.

"I guess that's my cue," he said, rubbing a hand self-consciously on the back of his neck. "Listen Maggie, I want to apologize for how I've been acting this week. I was embarrassed that you'd seen more of me than anyone else. Any of those visions could have been mine. And then you said it maybe wasn't real, that Seraphina had influenced it. And I knew you were trying to give me a way out, but the thing is…" He looked at her, smiling hesitantly, then looked down at the floor. "The thing is I wanted them to be real. Maybe you don't feel that way, but I'd rather be honest with you than try to pretend that whatever happened was just magic running amok." Jake took a deep breath and place his hands on her shoulders, holding her at arm's length and stared deep into her eyes. "I didn't feel anything that day that I hadn't thought about before, or wanted every day since."

Maggie dropped the cup she was holding, hardly hearing it break across the floor. Jake dropped his hands from her shoulders quickly. Maggie willed herself to breathe and tried to rein in her scrambled thoughts. She'd spent so much time this week convincing herself that moment was a fluke of magic. And here he was telling her maybe it wasn't?

"Umm…" her voice broke strangely, and she swallowed hard. "What do you think we should do about that?" she finally croaked out.

Jake shrugged and stared down at the floor. "I thought maybe I'd take you out to dinner. You know, some place where you don't have to cook or clean up and we don't have to talk around everybody else." He looked up at her hesitantly.

Maggie melted at those endearing blue eyes. "I'd like that very much," she said softly.

"And if it's ok with you," he added uncertainly. "I'd like some things to kind of stay the way they were. I mean where I come in here to read and you just keep doing whatever you need to do and we talk sometimes. I don't think you understand what a gift you gave me. You don't expect me to be a certain way, and so I get to be me. And me is…complicated. I am a scholar and a historian and an art critic that likes French pastries, and I'm a good ole boy oil rig worker from Oklahoma who likes beer and punching guys. And you are the only one, 'cept maybe Baird, who seems to get that."

Jacob took a step toward her and took her hands in his. She felt the calluses on his fingertips as he brushed them over her knuckles gently. "And you are, to me," he murmured in a low voice, "what poets and artists try to capture in extolling the virtues of womanhood. You are hearth and home, you are clever and saucy. Your comments on my books or work usually reveal an aspect I haven't considered. You spur me on to do greater things, to be greater." He leaned in closer and Maggie shivered at the rumble of his voice near her ear. "You are intriguing and alluring, and I am very much looking forward to unraveling the mystery of you." With that, he kissed her cheek tenderly, and Maggie leaned into his touch, her heart racing.

Jake took a step back from her and studied her seriously. "I don't want to push anything," he added. "I know those hallucinations brought up some feelings that I personally, have found impossible to forget," and he blushed sheepishly. "But I don't want you to ever feel like this is a conquest, that I'm racing to try and get to that moment as quickly as possible. I really care about you, Maggie."

Maggie cleared her throat and tentatively tried her voice again. "Uh, Jake. That may be the longest monologue I've ever heard from a guy trying to get a date."

Jake laughed and she grinned at him cheekily. "I would love to go out to dinner with you, and I would love for things to be as comfortable as they were before. This room has been pretty lonely without you."

Maggie's heart raced happily at the contentment in Jacob's eyes. His hand reached up and caressed her check affectionately.

"Good," he said, nodding as if he'd settled a business deal. "I'll find someplace nice and make the reservations. Is there anything in particular you'd like?"

"Oh, surprise me," Maggie shrugged. "Anything with you will be perfect."

Jake smiled broadly at that, and the good ole boy that used to brag about his conquests back home peeked out just a little. He said good night and left the room. And if he maybe strutted a bit on his way down the hall, Maggie sure wasn't going to tell him so.


	5. The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls 5

_The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls ~_ Chapter 5

Maggie drew her chair up next to the cot and studied Jake's face. He seemed peaceful. Whatever he was sleeping off apparently didn't cause nightmares. Flynn had hemmed and hawed about possible effects, not committing to anything. Baird, who had spent the most time waiting for people to wake up after a battle, was sympathetic. "Come get me if anything changes or you want me to spell you for a bit," she offered, placing her hand comfortingly on Maggie's shoulder.

Maggie nodded, but didn't say anything. Eventually the others left, and she was alone with Jacob. Maggie shifted her chair as close as she could, and taking his hand in hers, she leaned forward and lay her head on his chest. She could feel it rise and fall with each breath, his heart thumping steadily at her cheek. He was strong and alive, but with magic…who could tell what would happen. Her mind wandered briefly to the possibility of him never waking up, and she instantly came up with a dozen scenarios. He could be asleep, he could be trapped in an alternate dimension, his mind could think he was awake and allow his life to continue in some kind of dream world…Maggie's imagination whirled around the possibilities and finally relaxed into the most probable. He would wake up. He would. A few tears pooled in her eyes and dripped onto his shirt. She breathed in his scent and drifted off to sleep.

Jake came slowly to wakefulness. His eyes didn't seem to want to cooperate and his head ached. Groaning internally, he figured he must have really tied one on. Not good, especially since he couldn't remember doing it. Jake was usually so careful not to get drunk. There was no way he was ending up like his old man.

His back felt stiff and he realized he wasn't in his bed. Eyes finally agreeing to help, he blinked a couple times and the room came into focus. Jake took in a beamed ceiling and a fireplace off to the right. The bed…wasn't a bed…a cot? And…shit. Someone was lying on top of him. How drunk had he been? Taking random women to bed wasn't his style. He shifted slightly and the woman lying across his chest sat up abruptly. She zeroed in on him, her brown eyes scrutinizing.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly. Jake's brain struggled to assimilate the question and the woman's attitude. She didn't act like they'd just slept together, she acted like he'd been ill. Had he been ill? He frowned and opened his mouth. His tongue felt like cotton, and he cleared his throat experimentally.

"I think I'm feeling ok," Jake finally croaked out. The woman's features relaxed in obvious relief. "I…I'm not sure I remember what happened. What is this place?"

The woman quickly turned toward the fireplace, but not before Jacob saw a flash of confusion and then grief pass over her features. She was silent for a moment, then turned back to him with a gentle smile. "I'd better get Colonel Baird. She'll be able to explain everything."

Jack nodded and closed his eyes again. "Yeah, Baird," he mumbled, finally connecting some dots. "There must've been some job that went down funny," he trailed off.

* * *

Maggie left the kitchen and stood silently outside the door for a moment. This was not a scenario she'd imagined. He didn't know her. She absently clutched her chest, where her heart had moments before shattered into a million pieces. Jacob's face, his handsome, strong, kind face with those dazzling blue eyes, had looked at her with confusion, not love. He didn't know her. Maggie choked back a sob and headed down to the workroom.

Baird looked up as Maggie entered the room and jumped from her chair, seeing the misery etched across Maggie's face. "Is he worse? What's happened?" she asked urgently.

Maggie took a deep breath and tried to school her features into a calm mask. "He's awake, but he doesn't know where he is or who I am. He remembers you, and assumed a job went wrong. I told him I would come and get you."

Eve sighed. Her heartbeat was returning to normal with the news that he was awake, but memory loss? That was going to be really hard to deal with. If he didn't remember Maggie, that meant he'd lost at least at least a year. Poor Maggie… Eve's heart sank thinking through the ramifications. Would Maggie leave? How do you tell someone that he's in love with a woman he doesn't remember meeting?

As if reading her mind, Maggie started speaking, almost too low for Eve to hear her, "You can't tell him. The Librarians and the Library are more important than my feelings. I'm a Guardian. And if I have to guard him from the past, then that's what I'll do.

Eve looked at Maggie, searchingly, but her face was now completely unreadable. Eve nodded reluctantly, and headed down the hall to the kitchen.

* * *

Jake had gotten up from the cot and was sitting in one of the armchairs. Eve went over and sat in the other chair, turning it slightly to face him. Maggie quietly went to the sink to start a pot of coffee and put together something for Jake to eat.

"How you feeling, Stone?" asked Baird in a concerned voice.

Jacob straightened himself up, and shook his head tiredly. "I'm ok, I think. My head hurts. What happened? Where are we?"

Baird was silent for a moment, trying to decide on the best course. "We're in the Library," she finally began. "It's a room that can kind of be whatever it needs to be. Ummm. It's been a kitchen for a while now. This is where we all eat every day."

Jake turned and looked at her incredulously. "We eat here every day? Since when?"

Eve's brow furrowed. "For about a year now. You seem to have suffered some memory loss. What's the last thing you remember?"

Jake stood up and and was looking around the room. He caught sight of Maggie, arranging sandwiches on a plate, two cups of coffee on a tray with them.

"I thought at first I was back home, waking up hungover with some gal from a bar," he muttered softly. "The last thing I remember was Dulaq ripping the loom of fate. You died, but then you…we fixed it. Hurray for the Librarians, etcetera, etcetera, I went to bed and woke up here."

Stone was now pacing around the room, studying the furniture, the art, and casting sidelong glances at Maggie. He paused in front of Van Gogh's _Starry Night_ , catching his breath as the stars began to whirl and spin in front of his eyes.

"You shouldn't stare at it too long," came a soft voice behind him. "The stars will hypnotize you."

He spun around. Maggie was standing with the tray of sandwiches and coffee. "Would you prefer to sit at the table or in front of the fire?"

Stone frowned at her. "Who are you?" he asked, tentatively. "Are we supposed to know each other?"

Maggie smiled kindly at him. "My name is Maggie MacAlistair. The Library offered me a job as a Guardian. I'm sort of Eve's counterpart here."

Jacob nodded thoughtfully, and sat down at the kitchen table. Maggie set the tray down and he smiled at her as he accepted the sandwich and coffee. "So I can't remember the last year of my life? Did I miss anything big?"

Eve glanced at Maggie, who gave her a stern look. Jake looked over at Eve, and raised his eyebrows.

"Ummm…Cassandra and Ezekiel are sort of dating," Eve said quickly.

Jake's eyes widened and he huffed out a laugh of disbelief. "We got stuck in a video game once," Baird went on. "Ezekiel actually saved all of us from that one. Dorian Gray was real and was still sucking the life out of people in London."

Jacob looked interested, "Did you have to destroy his painting?"

Eve smirked. "Actually we had to delete his digital image from the cloud and replace it with an image of me, made out of images of him. And William Shakespeare was possessed by Propsero and Flynn and I had to travel back in time to stop him from taking over the world."

Jake laughed and shook his head, "So same old stuff huh? I didn't miss too much then."

Eve smiled, albeit a little sadly. She sat down with Jake at the table. "Maggie, why don't you join us," she said, looking over her shoulder at her. "You can tell Jake where you came from and what you do here."

Jake noticed Maggie hesitate for a split second before joining them at the table.

"What's your story, Ma'am?" Jake asked kindly, turning his gentle smile and sparkling eyes on her. Maggie's heart wrenched within her, but she kept her face neutral and smiled back.

"I used to work at the Warehouse. It's an organization with a similar purpose to the library."

"And Eve says this kitchen can basically be what we need to be? Did you bring this Room of Requirement with you, or was it already hiding in the Library somewhere?"

Maggie softened at the Harry Potter reference. Jake had been the one to find out that Seraphina really could make this space anything she wanted it to be. It had just been a kitchen for so long, no one had tried to make it anything else. Her mind flashed back to an evening several months ago. Jacob had kissed her so passionately that without being asked, Seraphina had transformed the kitchen into a perfectly gorgeous Art Deco bedroom. Jake had looked at Maggie for several moments, his blue eyes darkened with desire, before pulling away and sternly asking Seraphina to put the room back the way it was.

"Ummm, the room was already here," Maggie answered, pulling her mind back to the present. The present where Jake didn't love her, didn't even remember her.

"Hundreds of years ago a sorceress was imprisoned in this space. Her, spirit or personality or essence or whatever you want to call it controls the room. Her name is Seraphina."

Jacob looked around the room, interestedly. "So can she hear us right now?"

The chalk tray rattled. Jake looked over and sucked in a breath as the words began to appear.

 _Hello Jacob Stone. It's nice to meet you…again._

"Wow. That's incredible." he breathed. He turned those dazzling eyes back to Maggie, looking like a little boy at Christmastime. "Man, I love this job!" he enthused.

Jake looked over at Eve, who was smiling indulgently at him, and then back at Maggie. He looked her over appreciatively, and asked, "So how are you a Guardian? You don't seem too much like Baird here."

"Well, I guess if Baird's the dad, I'm the mom. I ply the Librarians with tea and sweets and sympathy and make sure the job's not getting to be too much for them."

"Sweets, huh? I once had these great little French pastries when we were recovering an artifact outside of Paris. Would you know how to made them? They're called croquembouche, a caramel puffed pastry."

Jake was a little confused by the look that flashed in her eyes, as she smiled at him. She looked like she was remembering something lovely and sad at the same time. "Yes, I know how to make them. How about we have some for dessert tomorrow with vanilla ice cream?"

Jacob grinned at her, "That would be incredible!"

Eve placed her hands firmly on the table and rose to her feet. "Maggie makes this place home. And we have taken up enough of her time right now. Let's go tell the others you're ok…give or take a year."

Jacob followed Eve out of the room and Maggie could hear his excited voice echo down the hall, "Man, that room is amazing! I wonder if it could be a bar, or a shooting range or an art gallery? And what was with that Van Gogh? I gotta get another look at that. How long has Maggie been here…"

Maggie closed the door, cutting off Jake's voice, and leaned against it wearily. "This is not how I expected this day to go."

 _I'm so sorry, Mags. Maybe his memory will return in time._

"Maybe. I should have expected it was too good to last. Everything else has been. Maybe I'll get over him, but it's going to be hell in the meantime, though."


	6. The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls 6

_The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls ~_ Chapter 6

The days passed, slowly and painfully. Maggie was able to put on a brave face and deal with all the interactions that occurred with Jacob throughout the day. There were far fewer now that he didn't stop by to see her has he had before. He seemed content to come for meals with the others, but otherwise left Maggie and Seraphina alone. Maggie was puzzled by that. Part of her had assumed or hoped at least that maybe they would just repeat what had happened the previous year. But Jake didn't seem to need the kitchen sanctuary now. Whatever healing had taken place in his soul had stuck in spite of the memory loss. He was more open and trusting with his teammates, more willing to be himself. The evenings after dinner were the hardest. Maggie was exhausted from the acting it took to get through the day, and more than once had considered drinking herself into forgetfulness. Seraphina always talked her out of it, suggesting a good cry over a sad song and then a bracing cup of tea. It occurred to Maggie that their roles seemed to have reversed somewhat. The kitchen was keeping her in check as she had done for Seraphina when they first met. And Maggie wore her pearls constantly now, using them on herself to choose the right course of action, rather than give in to a temptation to throw herself at him weeping and beg him to remember, or even comb through the Library looking for something to bring his memory back, no matter how dangerous the repercussions. She should have realized that things wouldn't just slowly get better, that there would be rollercoaster days or weeks. In the beginning, every little smile or glance from Jacob would send her heart up on a wave of hope, only to have it tailspin down in misery.

 _You can't keep this up._

"What do you suggest?" Maggie sighed wearily.

 _What would you tell Baird to do if this happened to Flynn?_

"I would tell her to decide if the job was worth it, and if so to focus on that. And that is what I am doing."

 _Yes, but what else would you tell her?_

Maggie pondered for a moment. "I would tell her to find something to do away from the Library. Something that…that fills up her soul somehow."

 _Exactly. I asked Galaeus to find a couple things you could do. He should have emailed you the links by now._

Maggie looked skeptical as she pulled out her phone and looked through the emails. "Really? An Irish Pub? You're the one always talking me out of drinking, and I'm enough of a waitress and bartender around here."

 _I find your lack of faith disturbing. They need a singer for their house band._

Maggie looked slightly interested. "Well, I might check that out. What's the other one?"

 _A dance studio. They offer swing dance lessons and are looking for people to help teach._

Maggie sat down at the table, flipping quickly through the website. "I guess I could do that. How did you know I would be interested in these?"

 _I pay attention._

And it worked. As the weeks went by Maggie's heart stopped feeling so clenched and painful and passed into numbness. And once in a while while she was singing or dancing she forgot for a moment or two to be sad. She was excellent at pretending everything was fine, but the moments she actually thought she was fine came as a blessed relief.

* * *

The first time she walked into the pub she was struck by the homey atmosphere. It was in the basement of an old building downtown, lights on the stone walls gave the space an ancient, almost secretive atmosphere. The proprietor was anything but. Danny Harrigan was larger than life, and Maggie wondered if he was exactly how he appeared or just enjoyed playing the role of an Irish barkeep. He towered over most of the clientele, loud and brash, hooking his thumbs in the suspenders framing either side of his broad chest. He wore a different bowtie every night, and when his hands weren't busy pulling beers or pouring whiskey he would sometimes twirl the end of his red handlebar mustache like a vaudeville villain.

"Well little lady, what I can do for you?" Danny boomed down at her, as Maggie tentatively entered the establishment. It was a little early for the regular crowd, the only other people inside were the band members tuning up and a little old man hunched over by the fireplace.

"I saw you were looking for a singer. I came to audition."

He looked her up and down. "Are you an Irish lass?" he asked skeptically. "We need someone who can sing a plaintive Irish ballad. If you can't make people cry, you ought not to sing in an Irish pub."

Maggie pondered this, then straightened her shoulders fiercely. "I'm not Irish. I'm Scottish, but you go far enough back and we're all Celts aren't we? I don't know if I can make people cry, but I've had my heart broken well enough, and I know plenty of sad songs. I think you should give me a try."

Danny Harrigan roared out a laugh. "Well, that's good enough for me, lass. Go over and see Brendan there with the guitar. He'll try you out." The big man turned back toward the bar still chuckling to himself, "…all Celts…what a feisty wee thing…"

Maggie smiled in satisfaction and walked over to the small stage area. "Excuse me, are you Brendan?" she asked the man bent over a guitar. He held his head near the strings and fiddled with the tuning rods.

Brendan looked up and smiled at the sight of the beautiful woman in front of him. He pushed a thatch of black hair out of his eyes and held out his hand. "I am. To what do I owe the pleasure?" His voice was low and gentle, in stark contrast to the owner's booming one.

"I heard you were looking for a singer."

"I am that. Step on up here and let's see what you can do." He offered her a hand as she stepped up on the small platform that served as a stage.

He turned to her, as if he'd just thought of something. "Do you know a lot of folk songs? That's what people who come here are looking for. Something that reminds them of home."

"I do, and I'm willing to learn more."

"Ok. What would you like to try?"

Maggie thought for a moment. "Mr. Harrigan said I needed to make people cry. How about _Somebody_? Do you know that one?"

"From the Robert Burns' poem, aye." He began strumming the guitar softly, and picking out the haunting melody.

Maggie's sweet voice joined him, hesitantly at first, and then stronger as the music seeped down into her bones.

Brendan looked at her appreciatively as she ended the song. "That'll do lass. Let's hear how you harmonize." And his long fingers danced over the strings as he led her through a quickly medley of _Wild Rover_ , _Will Ye Go Lassie?_ and _Rocky Road to Dublin_.

They finished and Brendan nodded. "We'll take ya. It doesn't pay that much. We usually just split the tips. Can you start this evening?"

Maggie smiled gratefully and nodded, her curls bouncing against her shoulders. "I don't need the money. I just…need to find…me…again."

An empathetic expression crossed his face. "I understand. This is good place to…heal. It's almost magical."

Maggie's eyebrows shot up and she darted a glance around the room. "What do you mean, magical?"

Brendan looked surprised. "I didn't really mean anything. Just that this place has an…atmosphere…and Danny's a great guy. It's a safe place to be yourself."

Maggie's shoulders slumped. "Sorry. I've been a little…tense lately."

Brendan slid off the stool and pointed to the bar. "Go grab a drink. We'll start our set in about twenty minutes."

Maggie climbed onto a bar stool. Mr. Harrigan smiled down at her. "What can I get you, lass?" He rumbled. "Do you need a shot of courage or a nice ale to ease your nerves?"

Maggie laughed. "I'll just have a cider, thanks. I don't really drink that much."

He shook his head sadly, "You sure aren't Irish, lassie. Turning down a nice whiskey, I never… Well, your singing better make up for it. Brendan's had a score of girls in here this week. All fairly good singers and most pretty nice to look at. What do you have that they didn't, I wonder?"

"I…I don't know," Maggie answered, frowning. She looked over at Brendan, talking to the old man by the fire. He glanced up and smiled encouragingly when he caught her glance.

* * *

 _Well, you seem on a slightly more even keel. I guess the singing helps?_

"You know, it really does. Here I have to pretend every moment I'm around him, around any of them really. Pretend that I'm not riddled inside with heartbreak. It's grueling. There I can let myself feel. I can pour every wonderful memory and every ounce of misery into the songs."

 _I can tell you with absolutely certainty that time helps you heal._

"Maybe. But you had a thousand years. I'm pretty sure I don't."

* * *

Jacob shifted the stack of books on his desk, and a pile of miscellaneous papers and notebooks tumbled to the ground, a small square box among them. Jake picked up the box and looked it over, frowning slightly. "I don't remember this," he muttered under his breath. He opened the box and stared in amazement at the ring inside. A pearl, flanked by two emeralds. "What the…" Jake pulled the ring from the box and studied it. "Silver…engraving's almost worn away…medieval setting…Maybe tenth century? What's it doing here? We must've had a job dealing with Medieval jewelry that I've forgotten. I'll have to ask Baird…" And he slipped the ring in his jacket pocket.

Down in the workroom the clippings book fluttered. Eve walked over to it and peered down at the single slip of paper. "Maybe we've been working too hard. The book wants us to go check out a pub," she said with a grin.

"Sounds good to me," said Jake as he trudged down the steps.

"There's just the one paper?" asked Cassie. "Where are the articles about weird stuff?"

Ezekiel looked around Eve at the single clipping. "This is a listing from the yellow pages. That's seriously old school. And it's in Astoria, that's just a couple hours away. Oh…that's the pub where Maggie…" his voice trailed off.

Eve frowned at him. "The pub where Maggie, what?"

"She's a singer there," Ezekiel answered resignedly.

Eve looked incredulous. "A singer? How long has that been going on?"

Ezekiel glanced briefly at Jacob. "She sings three or four days a week and helps teach a swing dance class two days a week."

Eve moved from incredulous to seriously shocked. "She's gone every night? Why didn't we know about this?"

Ezekiel made a face at her. "I did know. And Jenkins knows too, because he helped her with the door. She leaves after dinner each night. I followed her once to see what was going on."

"All right, enough," said Jake. His jaw was set and his low voice had an edge to it. "Enough dancing around the issue. What aren't you telling me about this woman?"

The other three glanced at each other helplessly. No one spoke, and finally Jacob turned and stalked out of the room.

He headed down to the kitchen and yanked the door open, banging it back against the wall.

 _Bad temper, Mr. Stone? I hope that won't leave a mark._

"Seraphina, what is the story with me and Maggie? No one else seems capable of telling me the truth."

For a full minute the kitchen was still and silent.

"Tell me, damn it," he ground out.

Images began to appear on the chalkboard. Jake allowed himself a moment of awe at the magic that still managed to surprise him before concentrating fully on what the pictures were conveying. They moved jerkily, like an old silent film. He saw Maggie working at the counter, and himself sitting in a chair by the fire, holding a book, but watching her. Then he was carrying in a large bag of flour. As he dropped it to the ground the top seam split and a cloud of flour blew up, coating Maggie and himself, and she was laughing. The picture changed again and they were sitting at the table. She was holding a mug of something steaming and he was reading to her from a book. Then there was an image of Maggie by herself, bent over a book with a frustrated expression, dough and flour covering the countertop. The chalkboard zoomed in on the book, "Perfect French Pastries." That image faded to a fancy dining room. He and Maggie were dressed up and sitting across from each other. Maggie looked a little shy, and he was fiddling with the edge of his pant leg. In the final image they were standing facing each other. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair back from her cheek, then he leaned in and kissed her.

The chalkboard faded to black and Jacob scrubbed a hand over his face. "I loved her," he groaned through his hand. "That's why she avoids me and the others won't talk about her."

 _She loved you. She loves you still._

"She leaves each night to get away from me, doesn't she?"

 _Maggie works very hard pretending to be normal around you. It's exhausting. She needed to find something else to focus on that didn't have any connections to the Library._

He nodded in understanding. "The pub came up in the clipping book, but we don't know why. Nothing's happened there…yet."

 _She's singing tonight. You should go._

Jacob jerked his head in acknowledgement and stalked out of the kitchen.


	7. The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls 7

_The Librarians and the Selkie Pearls ~_ Chapter 7

Maggie perched on a stool on the stage, swinging her legs, as the band played through _Morrison's Jig_. The fiddle player drew out the last note, then launched into _Hills of Connemara_. Maggie felt the tension leave her heart as she began singing. They actually made it through most of the songs before she noticed the Librarians sitting at a table off in the corner. The shock made her stumble over a phrase, and Brendan glanced at her concernedly. Maggie steeled herself not to look at Jacob as she sang and managed through the rest of the song.

"Ok, ready for _Somebody_?" whispered Brendan.

Maggie's head jerked up and she looked at him with an almost frightened face. "I…I don't think I can sing that one tonight," she whispered back, so faint he could hardly hear her.

"Sure you can, it's usually your best one. Look, just pour all that emotion into the song. You'll be fine."

Maggie took a rattly breath and nodded. She fingered the pearls at her neck agitatedly as the music began. She tried to focus on doing the right thing, always the right thing with Jake. Her heart beat began to calm and the music floated around her. Singing was like acting. She could pour all her love and heartache and desire into the song, allowing herself these few minutes to tell him how she truly felt. Tomorrow she would go right back to pretending that they were barely acquaintances.

 _My heart is sore; I dare not tell_

 _My heart is sore for Somebody_

 _I would walk a winter's night_

 _All for the sake of Somebody_

 _If Somebody would come again_

 _Then one day he must cross the main_

 _And everyone will get his own_

 _And I will see my Somebody_

 _O, for Somebody_

 _O, for Somebody_

 _I would do what I dare not_

 _All for the sake of Somebody_

 _Why need I comb my tresses bright_

 _Why should I call for candlelight_

 _To shine in my bower day or night_

 _Since gone is my dear Somebody_

 _Oh I have wept many a day_

 _For one that's banished far away_

 _I cannot sing and must not say_

 _How sore I grieve for Somebody_

 _O, for Somebody_

 _O, for Somebody_

 _I would do what I dare not_

 _All for the sake of Somebody_

The patrons in the bar weren't quite sure when they first noticed the change in the atmosphere. Danny Harrigan began to look around uneasily at the end of the first verse. Cassandra had a headache by the time Maggie started the final chorus. Ezekiel was gripping her hand tightly, and she saw a single tear fall down Eve's cheek. Jake felt almost sick. He was overwhelmed by a desire to march up to the stage and take Maggie in his arms, or run away, or throw up, or punch someone, he just couldn't decide. His fists were clenched in his lap, and he tried to take slow deep breaths.

The room was humming as the final notes died away, and the band, who had been somewhat insulated from the effects by focusing on their own instruments, looked around in confusion. Brendan regarded Maggie, who was sitting perfectly still, staring a man across the room. He caught Danny's eye and jerked his head toward the table of strangers. Danny nodded, acknowledging the signal and made his way over to them. Brendan laid his hand gently on Maggie's shoulder, "What have you done, lass?" he asked quietly.

Maggie turned and looked at him like she was waking up from a dream. "What? I…I tried to do the right thing. The pearls…they didn't stop me…"

Brendan sighed. He set his guitar down and helped Maggie off the stool. Placing a hand on the small of her back, he led her over to the table where Danny was glaring down at the occupants.

The humming now was almost unbearable. People were grimacing and paying their tabs as quickly as possible. A light fixture near the stage exploded with a pop, as glass flew. Colonel Baird jumped up at the sound and unholstered her weapon. Mr. Harrigan scowled at her. "What did ye daft fools bring into my pub?" he growled.

Baird scowled back at him. "We didn't bring anything. We just came to hear our friend sing."

"Some friends," he scoffed. "She's been here for weeks and you never bothered to come before."

Baird looked chagrined at that. "Things have been complicated, we were trying to give her some space…"

Brendan and Maggie joined them at the table. The humming increased and everyone had to raise their voices to be heard above it. Danny looked down at Maggie with a soft and sympathetic expression. "Who is it, lass?"

Maggie turned a bewildered face up to him. "I don't understand. Who is what? What's happening?"

"Which one broke your heart?"

"I did," answered Jacob. He stood up and squared his shoulders, almost as if he were expecting a blow from the larger man. His bright blue eyes met Danny's green ones honestly.

Brendan shifted closer to Maggie, trying to edge between her and the others. Baird moved over beside Stone, holding her hands out placatingly, one still gripping her firearm. "It wasn't his fault. He lost his memory."

Danny gently lifted Maggie's chin to face him. "You've activated some powerful magic, lass. You need to tell us exactly what happened." Then he noticed the string of pearls, now glowing, at her throat.

"Merlin's beard!" he choked out. "How did you get the Selkie pearls?"

Maggie fumbled with the beads. "Someone gave them to me, several years ago. But they aren't powerful. They just encourage people to do the right thing. I…I've been using them since Jacob," her voice caught over his name. "Since he woke up. He…he didn't remember me, and I didn't want him to feel burdened with that…we have a job to do…it's important…I wanted to just do the right thing…"

Jake took a step toward her, and Brendan stiffened. His locked a steely gaze on the man, daring him to move again. Jake tried to look around him to catch Maggie's eye. His blue eyes stared at her entreatingly. "Look, Maggie, I'm sorry. I didn't know about any of this until tonight. Seraphina told me…or showed me. I…wish I could remember. I don't want you to feel you need to hide or run away…from…me," he finished lamely.

Maggie's eyes flashed for a moment with something akin to anger. "I wasn't hiding from you. I was hiding from my own pain. I was pulling away so we could do our jobs."

"Um, I don't want to interrupt this very touching moment or anything, but this humming sound is getting worse. What's going on and how do we stop it?" Ezekiel broke in.

"The tonic resonance is increasing by half decibels and seems to originate from the stone walls. Something in the walls is amplifying the sound," offered Cassandra.

"It's the necklace," sighed Danny. "It sends out a signal, like a bat. But it can't work alone. Where's the ring?"

"I don't have a ring," answered Maggie, shaking her head.

"What does the necklace do?" asked Baird, exasperatedly.

"It enables rulers to lead their kingdom. It was a gift from the Selkies to Queen Meabh. She lost it to Cuchulainn, and then it somehow wound up with Boudica, and from there was lost," Danny said tersely.

"You say gift, some say stolen," added Brendan.

"It. Was. A. Gift." Danny replied brusquely.

"And you can be sure to tell the Selkies that when they arrive. I'm sure they're close to shore by now."

Eve looked helplessly at Jacob. "Stone, can you help me out here?"

"Selkies are seal people. In Irish mythology they occasionally shed their seal pelt and assume the form of a human. Queen Meabh supposedly ruled with her husband and a variety of consorts around 60 B.C. There's a story of her losing a battle to Cuchulainn over a bull."

"Cuchulainn from the Iron Kingdom?" asked Ezekiel, cocking an eyebrow. "I met him at the Conclave."

"Conclave?" repeated Brendan. He and Danny exchanged a look. "They're Librarians."

"And who exactly are you people?" asked Ezekiel curiously.

Brendan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm Lugh. He's Dagda," he added gesturing toward Danny.

Jake sucked in a breath, his eyes bugging out slightly. Cassandra looked intrigued and the rest confused. Eve rolled her eyes. "Again, a little help here…"

"They're gods," answered Cassandra lightly. Everyone turned to stare at her. "What? My family's Irish."

Jake nodded, barely containing his enthusiasm. "Lugh is a Celtic warrior-god, he oversees craftsman and lawmakers. Dagda is the god of life and death and war…and feasting and drinking," he added belatedly.

Danny grinned almost proudly. "I focus more on the feasting and drinking these days, lad."

Maggie turned toward Brendan and placed a questioning hand on his arm. He looked at her and smiled sadly. "The modern world is difficult for us. We…retired I guess you could say."

"Aye, lad. But we won't stay retired if the Selkies come here looking for those beads," Danny said, losing his jovial air.

"The necklace can only be this powerful in concert with the ring," mused Brendan. "Are you sure you don't have it?"

Jake closed his eyes for a moment and reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out the small box and opened it, holding it out for the others to see. "Is this it?" he asked grimly.

Brendan and Danny nodded slowly. "Lass, you said the necklace encourages people to do the right thing, and that's true to a point," began Danny.

"When it's paired with the ring they encourage people to do what the sovereign deems is right. They work in concert to rule kingdoms," added Brendan.

"Aye, if you were to put this ring on there's not a one in here that wouldn't do your bidding," continued Danny. "Not a one within miles at that. It's only causing this little ruckus now because they're in the same room. When you were singing you were allowing yourself to fully experience your own heartache, and the necklace and ring were trying to work with you. Making everyone in here begin to share those emotions," he said, gesturing around the room.

"Stone, where did you get that ring?" asked Baird.

Jake shrugged. "I found it in my room today, and stuck it in my pocket to ask you about it. I figured we did some job dealing with Medieval jewelry during the year I can't remember, although if this was a gift to Queen Meabh, it's considerably older than that," he murmured to himself, looking at the ring closely.

"We never found anything like that on a job," said Cassandra, shaking her head.

"Umm, I…I got you the ring," offered Ezekiel apologetically.

"Why would you steal me a ring?" asked Jake, his tone frustrated and confused.

"Technically you paid for it, and asked me to pick it up, but then the guy said he'd had a better offer, so I…took care of it. But I left him the money he'd agreed to," Ezekiel finished hurriedly.

"But why did I want the ring?" Jake asked again, slowly enunciating each word.

Ezekiel looked over at Maggie and opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Comprehension slowly dawned on all of them. Grief etched itself on Maggie's face.

"Son of a bitch!" yelled Jake, pounding his fist into the table. He turned helplessly toward Maggie. "I am so sorry. I had no idea we were…that I intended to…"

Brendan pulled out a chair and pushed Maggie down into it, leaving his left hand resting comfortingly on her shoulder. She covered her face with her hands, not looking at any of them.

Danny twirled his mustache thoughtfully and Brendan clenched his right hand into a fist. "I would like nothing more than to beat you within an inch of your life right now, boy-o," he growled. "But we have bigger problems to deal with. Those two pieces are calling to the Selkies, and they'll be coming to get them."

Danny grabbed a telescope from behind the bar and climbed the stairs to the street two at a time. Eve dashed up behind him. Across the street he trained the telescope out onto the dark waters of the Pacific Ocean. He grunted and handed the telescope over to Baird. She held it up to her eye and squinted into the darkness. Slowly she began to make out even darker heads against the dark water, popping out periodically as they swam through the waves. There were dozens upon dozens of them making their way toward the shore.

"Selkies?" she asked tiredly.

"Aye, lass."

They turned and went back down into the building. "Looks to be about fifty of 'em. We've got thirty minutes, maybe less," Danny said gruffly.

"We can get the necklace and ring back to the Library. Once they're gone, the…calling…will stop, right?" suggested Ezekiel.

"As long as they're near each other they'll make this humming noise, there's some kind of perpetual vibration they're creating. It probably won't stop until one person is wearing them both, or they're contained somehow." said Cassandra.

They all turned to look at Maggie. "Should she put the ring on?" asked Baird.

Danny shook his head. "Not in a heightened emotional state. She'd cause chaos without meaning to. Brendan and I would probably try to kill you," he waved his hand toward Stone, "and you'd be throwing yourself at her feet begging for her."

"Can't you withstand the influence? Since you're…you know, gods or whatever?" Cassandra asked curiously.

"Eh, gods is a bit of a misnomer, but that's for another day, lass. The pieces are designed to rule kingdoms. It takes a strong leader who feels they have a divine right to rule for them to work properly."

Maggie reached behind her head and fumbled with the clasp on the necklace. "Here, take it," she said. "I don't ever want to see it again." She cursed under her breath as the clasp tangled in her hair and the fingers couldn't manage to open it. Brendan stepped behind her and gently lifted her hair out of the way, draping it over one shoulder. He undid the clasp and slid the necklace off of her. Danny held out a small wooden box, and Brendan dropped the beads inside. With both the necklace and ring inside their own box the humming lessened somewhat.

"Can we just explain what happened, and tell the Selkies that both pieces will be kept safe and contained in the library so no one will be able to use them? They didn't affect each other when they were in two separate rooms there, right?" asked Baird.

Brendan thought that over. "You could try, but Selkies don't trust easily, and Danny and I don't have a good history with them," he added ruefully.

"What if we gave the necklace back to the Selkies and just kept the ring in the Library, or vice versa?" ventured Stone. "Since they're relatively harmless by themselves."

Danny shook his great red head mournfully, and twisted the tip of his mustache. "No, there's naught for it but to take them both to the library. Brendan and I will try to explain what happened."

Brendan looked up at him and shook his head, a great scowl on his face. "They won't listen, and you know what will happen."

Danny fixed sad green eyes on the other man. "I know. But it's the right thing to do. We can start up somewhere else.

"What will happen?" inquired Ezekiel interestedly.

"Never you mind," soothed Danny. "I kind of think Brendan and I outrank you lot, and we're willing to deal with them. They haven't got on with Librarians for a while now either, since they weren't allowed representation at the Conclave of '62."

"They weren't at this last Conclave either," added Jones unhelpfully. "I sure would have remembered seal people."

"What…what will happen to you?" whispered Maggie.

Jacob narrowed his eyes as he caught the sad, longing glance Brendan cast at Maggie. The dark haired man knelt down beside her chair and brushed her hair away from her face. "We'll be moving on, love," Brendan answered gently. "When the Selkies don't find what they're looking for they'll raze this place to the ground. Danny and I will have to set up shop far away from here, so they don't come sniffing around for the jewels again."

"Now then," interrupted Danny, his eyes bright with unshed tears, "you be a stout-hearted little lass and don't let it get you down. You've got the soul of a Celt, true enough, and it's been a privilege to know you."

"This is my fault." Maggie's voice was barely audible. "I used the pearls, I came here to escape…and I've just ruined everything you've built over the last two hundred years."

"Or, perhaps the ring and necklace were meant to be reunited in the Library. You were meant to have the pearls and your young man was meant to find the ring. Brendan and I now know we can trust Librarians, which is a novelty. We can't always know what part we are cast to play, lass. Sometimes you have to trust that a greater power is at work. But you lot should get going now, there's not much time left."

Maggie stood up from her seat and threw her arms around Danny's neck. He huffed in surprise, then tenderly returned her embrace.

Brendan handed the wooden box with the necklace to Cassandra, then turned toward Jacob. "She loves you," he said tightly. "Don't waste it."

Jacob nodded, looking over at Maggie. "I won't. I…I don't open up to people easily. If I was planning to propose, I know she must be pretty special."

Brendan looked at him searchingly. "If you break her heart again I will know. I will take her away and no one will ever find your body."

The Librarians headed back toward the supply closet door where they had entered from the Library's back door. Baird shook Danny's hand. "Thanks for your help. It's a relief when we meet up with allies instead of enemies." The large man inclined his head and ushered her through the door. Ezekiel and Cassandra went through next, each carrying a jewelry box. Jacob paused at the door and turned to wait for Maggie.

She hugged Danny again and whispered goodbye, then turned to Brendan. He cupped her face in his hands and smiled down at her gently. "Who am I?" he whispered.

Maggie shook her head, her brown eyes dull and confused. "Brendan? Lugh? I don't know."

"Maggie, I am your friend. Don't let your heartache dictate who you are and what you do. Disasters will come, but you must hold on to hope. There are greater things at work than you now understand. Allow the pain to soften your heart, not harden it."

Maggie leaned in and wrapped her arms around him tightly for just a moment, before pulling away. "Thank you," she breathed. "My time with you was a gift, and I won't ever forget it."

She turned toward Jake, and took a deep breath. Jake gave her a tentative smile and held out his hand. She placed her hand in his, following him through the doorway.

* * *

The next morning the clipping book was quiet, but Ezekiel found a few news stories online describing the loss of a historical building in Astoria that crashed into the Columbia River. The building was apparently empty at the time and no injuries were reported. The bodies of several seals were also found at the site, but it is not yet determined whether the two are connected.

Eve grumbled under her breath as she rearranged her desk from Flynn's settings for the millionth time. Cassandra and Jenkins were discussing the chemical changes that a Selkie's body would have to undergo as they transformed from seal to human.

Maggie pounded bread dough in the kitchen as Jake sat across the table sipping coffee. He asked question after question about Maggie and Seraphina, and they took turns bringing him up to speed on their stories.

When Baird popped in to ask Stone to help with something he pushed himself back from the table and took his cup over to the sink. He hesitated at the door and turned back to Maggie. "I'll be back to help get dinner ready if you'd like. I'd really appreciate the chance to get to know you…again."


End file.
